What's wrong with looking at pornography?

by Rabbi Shlomie Chein

From your e-mail I am assuming that you agree that certain acts are not good for you, however, you want to know what harm can there be from just viewing that act, rather than actually doing it.

It is a fair question.

Let us think of some things, and see if an image of those things has any effect on you.

Murder. Do you think witnessing a murder or seeing a graphic picture of a murder has some kind of effect on you?

Doctors and specialists seem to think so. They see thousands of people every day who were effected and traumatized by the visuals of murder.

Food. Does seeing constant pictures of food make you hungry? Does seeing many pictures of the same food make you want that particular food?

Corporations seem to think so. They spend billions of dollars a year on advertising because research has proven that it does have an effect.

Vision certainly has an effect on you. For starters, it implants images on your mind. If those images are "not Kosher", your mind will have "non kosher" implants. A mind with non kosher implants starts functioning and thinking in non kosher ways. And it gets worse. As the visuals make their way deeper into the mind they spread to the heart and begin creating emotions, cravings towards that activity, which ultimately develops into behavior resembling what you saw.

That is why the Torah says, and we read it three times a day in the Shema prayer, "Do not follow your hearts and eyes, which lead you astray".

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Torah is G–d’s teaching to man. In general terms, we refer to the Five Books of Moses as “The Torah.” But in truth, all Jewish beliefs and laws are part of the Torah.

Kosher

Literally means "fit." Commonly used to describe foods which are permitted by Jewish dietary laws, but is also used to describe religious articles (such as a Torah scroll or Sukkah) which meet the requirements of Jewish law.

Shema

The most fundamental Jewish prayer, recited twice daily. This prayer, of Biblical origin, professes the belief in G-d's absolute unity.